Mastering Chapter Titles

When working with writers a few common issues creep in when dealing with chapters titles. Some writers meticulously plan them from the start, while others slap them on as an afterthought. And some avoid them altogether!

If you are using chapter titles, they're more than just signposts – they're mini-hooks, setting the tone and hinting at the journey ahead. So, throughout your edits, it's imperative to ensure they are doing their job.

It's so easy to get focused away from the chapter titles and on the big picture, the plot, the characters, or information chunking if it's a non-fiction piece. Keep in mind, during revisions, those titles deserve a second, third, and fourth look. Yes, you probably had a perfect chapter title with the first draft which has either now misses the mark or turned misleading after a rewrite. Don't be afraid to upgrade that title along with the content edits.

And, if you find that after or during editing, a chapter may become too dense or covers more that initially planned, it's perfectly okay to break it down into two or three smaller, more focused chapters; which also means....new chapter titles!

So, play around with your chapter titles. Try different wording, different styles. See how they look on the page. Most importantly, have fun with it! Your chapter titles are a chance to add an extra layer of creativity to your work, and what seems like a tiny change can make a big difference to the reader's experience.